Knitting machine



Jan. 9, 1940.

H. HQEPPNEVR KNITTINCI MACHINE Filed uy 4, 19:57 3 sheets-sheet 1 Jan. 9, 1940.

H. HoEPP-NER KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 QWN.

Q21 uw lNvENToR mM/MM BY w AZTT RNYS2 5 Jan- 9, A194:0- H.- HoEPPNi-:R 2,186,197

lKNITTINGf MACHINE Filed May 4, 1937 s sheets-sheet s lNVEg/TOR v Piana.; Jin. fs, .i940

JMJ Y2,188,197i m/"J KNITTING Hellmuth Hoeppner, Einsiedel, near Chemnitl,

Ger

, assignor to Maschinenfabrik Einmany siede). Einsiedel, near Chemnitz, Germany, a corporation of Germany Application May- 4, 1937, Serial No. 140,683

The present invention relates to an improved mechanism for disconnecting the yarn feeding assembly including yarn carriers and singer slurcock cams of a flat knitting machine of the gen- 5 eral type having spring beard needles movable as a unit with relation to a press edge and independently movable yarn measuring sinkers, and

more particularly to a mechanism of this general description which is well adapted to press oi fabric held on the needles.

In machines of this vgeneral description, the pressing off of the nished fabric i s ordinarily accomplished by disconnecting the yarn frictions so that no yarn is fed to the needles, and then turning over the machine to cast oi the loops held on the needles. This operation, which is performed manually, consumes a considerable amount of time, and requires the services of a skilled operator to avoid improper handling and without disturbing the setting of the several cooperating mechanisms, and more particularly the yarn carriers for subsequent operation 'in the machine.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide a. mechanism of this general description which is well adapted for controlling the operation of the machine to press olf fabric held on the needles, and thereby to effect a considerable saving in the time ordinarily consumed for this operation.

AWith these and other objects in view, as may hereinafter appear, one feature of the invention consists in the provision of means for ldisconnecting the yarn feeding assembly includingthe carriers and slur-cock cams from the draw arm, which is permitted to continue its reciprocating movement so that these parts may be subsequently re-connected without otherwise-disturbing the setting or timing of the several cooperating mechanisms of the machine.

Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of a latch connection between the draw arm and the yarn feeding assembly, and mechanism; cooperating therewith to disengage the latch at one end of its stroke.

55 Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of mechanism controlled from the fpattern chain of the machine which acts when rendered'operative to disconnect the yard feeding assembly from the draw arm with the carriers at the limit of their travel in one direction, and thereafter to again operatively connect the yarn feeding assembly to the draw arm for the beginning of a new operation.

. The several features of the invention consist also in the devices, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described which, together with the advantages to be obtained thereby, will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a somewhat fragmentary view in front elevation of a heeling machine embodying in a preferred form the several features of applicants invention, only so much of the machine having been disclosed as is believed necessary to illustrate the connection of the present invention therewith; Fig. 2 is a plan view of substantially the parts shown in Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a sectional end view looking from the right of the machine, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary plan view' showing the operation of the sinker slur-cockcams to advance the sinkers cooperating with the two needle banks of the knitting section; and Fig. 5 is a detail plan view I 'illustrating particularly the sinkerv slur-cock cams, together with their supporting and driving mechanism.

` The invention is herein disclosed in a preferred form as embodied in a heeling machine of the general type illustrated in the application of Iambach, Serial No. 104,244, which is specically adapted for the knitting of the heel flapsA into a combination foot and leg stocking blank. The machine has in general the construction and arrangement of a at full-fashioned type machine having spring beard needles Ill movable as a unit with relation to a press edge l2, knockovers Il and independently movable yarn meas-l uring sinkers I6. Each knitting section of the machine comprises two separated banks of needles onto which are topped those portions of the last course of loops of leg fabric to which the heel aps are to be knitted. The machine is provided with two separate sinker slur-cock and yarn carrier assemblies cooperating with the needle banks and arranged to be driven simultaneously in opposite directions.

The general organization of the machine will be evident from the drawings, in which the usual supporting frames are indicated at connected by the usual lower front rail 22, rear rail 24, head rail 26 and the worktable 28. The several cooperating mechanisms of the machine are driven inthe-.usual manner from a main cam shaft .which exterds-alongthe length of the machine and is generally indicated at 30 in Figs. 2 and 3. The two banks of needles I0 forming the one knitting section illustrated in thev drawings, are carried on rasinglgneedle bar support 32 to which are imparted the sualvertical and forward and back movements of the needl'e`o\ tion. The yarn feeding assembly of the machine illustrated comprises specifically a yarn carrier 34, a sinker slur-cock cam 36 cooperating therewith to cause the sinkers to kink yarn about the Shanks of the needles of the left-hand bank, a yarn carrier 38 and a sinker slur-cock cam 40 similarly arranged for advancing the sinkers associated with the needles of the right-hand bank. As best shown in Fig. 2, the yarn carrier 34 is supported on a carrier bar 42 which is connected to be driven from a friction rod 44 by means of a friction 46. The yarn carrier 38 is similarly supported on a carrier bar 48 connected to be driven from a friction rod 50 by means of a friction 52. 'Ihe friction rods 44 and 50 are connected` to be driven one from the other simultaneously in lopposite directions by means of a pinion 54 which meshes with a rack 56 connected to the friction rod 44, and a rack 58 connected to the friction rod 50. As best shown in Figs. 1 vand of the drawings, the slur-cock cam 40 cooperating with the right-hand bank of needles, is supported on a slide bar 60 rigidly connected by means of a bracket 62 to move with the friction rod 50. The slur-cock cam 36 is similarly supported on a slide bar 64 rigidly connected to move nith the friction rod 44 by means of a bracket 66 and a cross pin 68 which is secured to a sleeve member slidably mounted on a supporting bar 12. The sleeve member 10 is connected to move with the friction rodr44 and forms an actuating connection through which the entireyarn feedlng assembly is driven.

From the preceding description, it will be understood that in the type of machine herein referred to, the entire yarn feeding assembly consists of the carriers 34 and 38, the carrier bars 42 and 48, the frictions 46 and 52, the friction rods 44 and 50 with their interconnecting pinion 54 and racks 56 and 58, the slur cock cams 36 and 40, the slide bars 64 and 60, the brackets 66 and 62, the .pin 68, and sleeve 10.

The yarn feeding assembly above described is driven from a Coulier motion which may be of ordinary description, and as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of thedrawings, comprises a cross shaft 14 connected to be driven fromA the cam shaft 30, and having mounted thereo "aCoulier cam 16. There is all vided a dra arm 18 Awhich is pivotally Y 80, and' is operatively connectedto the Coulierlf' cam 16-by means of two rollers 82 and 84 which' are supported to engage opposite sides of the cam 16. The roller .'82 is pivotally supported on the draw arm 18.*;V The roller 84 is supported on the lower end ofalever arm 86 arranged to turn about a iixed'pivot 88 located directly above the axis of the crcss shaft 14, and is connected by a cross link 90 to move with the draw arm 18;"

Inaccordance with a4 principal feature ofthe presentinvention, the connection from the draw arm 18 for driving the yarn feeding assembly, is constructed and arranged to be disconnected' at one end of the draw arm stroke, sothat the at its lowierend on a pivot v.

slur-cock cams and more particularly the carriers associated therewith, may be easily-an effectively thrown out of operation during rotation of the main cam shaft, and may be again reconnected to feed yarn without loss of time and Withoutvany necessity for interference with the setting or adjustment of the several cooperating mechanisms of the machine. As applied to the present machine, applicants mechanism for disconnecting the yarn feeding assembly is utilized .te-press-oilthieedles at the completion of a knitting operationand thereby to cast oil the completed fabric preparatory to the starting of a new heeling operation. Further in accordance with the present invention, applicants mecha- -nism for disconnecting the yarn feeding assembly thereof a vertically extending slot or recess 94 which is arranged for locking engagement with the cross pin 68 secured to the sleeve driving member 10. under side of the latch 92 to the right of the slot 94, as viewed in Fig. l, two oppositely inclined cam surfaces 96 and 98, the surface 96 being provided for engagement with the pin 68 when disengaged from its slot 94, and the surface 98 being arranged to cooperate with a latch control element in theform of a shiftable roller |00 for disengaging the latch. A lug |02 formed on the under side of the latch 92 provides a downward extension of the left-hand wall of the slot 94 to insure the re-engagement of the pin 68 in the slot 94. With this construction and arrangement of the latch, it will readily be seen that when the roller |00 is located in the path of reciprocation .of the latch 92, the movement of the draw arm 18 to the right will cause the roller |00 to strike the cam surface 98 to lift the latch out of engagement with the cross pin 68, as indicated by the dot-and-dash position of the latch 92 in Fig. 1. The continued engagement of the pin 68 with the left side of the slot causes the driving member 10 to be moved to its extreme position to the right. ,As the draw arm now begins its return movement to the left, 'the pin 68, 'disengaged from its slot 94, will ride against the cam surface 98, thus causing the sleeve driving member 10 to be disconnected from the draw arm at the right-hand limit of its strokeas shown in Fig. 1. Prior to the next stroke of the draw arm 18 and latch 92 to the right', the roller |00, is moved out of alignment with .the latch, so Athat the latch, upon reaching its limiting position to the right, can drop into locking engagement with the cross pin 68 to re-establish the connection between the draw arm 18 and the yarn ire ding assembly of the machine, 'Ihe roller |0 best shown in Figs. l and 3 of the drawings "'slidablyQ-supported on a rearwardly extendi pin |04 rigidly secured in a'bracket |06 secured to the head rail, 26, for movement transversely into or out of th path of reciprocation-of the latch 92.

The positionv of the roller |00 to disconnect the latch 92 is controlled'automatically from There are also provided on the the pattern chain |08 of the machine through connections which comprise a bell-crank shift lever ,||0 supported 'on a stationary pivot ||2, and having formed on the upwardly extending arm thereof the two arms -I |4 of a shifting fork. The bell-crank shift lever ||0 is connected to a downwardly extending link ||6 having formed therein a slot ||8 tor receive a pin |20 providing a yieldable connection' with a lever arm |22 secured to a forwardly extending rock shaft. |24. A tension spring |26 connected between the pin and a pin |28 on the link ||6 tends normally to maintain the link ||6 in a fully depressed position with the pin |20 in engagement with the upper end of the slot ||8. Secured to the forward end of the rock shaft |24 is' a d'ownwardly extending lever arm |30 which is connected by means of a rod v|32 to a lever |34 pivoted at |36-on the machineframe, and arranged to be actuated by engaging contact with a pattern lever |38. and arrangement of the pattern chain and levers i actuated thereby are well-known in the art, only a fragmentary showing of the same has been made in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The pattern leverl |38 is supported on the usual pivot shaft |40-, and is provided with a downwardly extending portion for engagement with a button designated at |42 located on the pattern chain |08. In 'accordance with the usual construction in machines of this type, the pattern chain is arranged to be racked in timed relation to the rotation of the main cam shaft 30 by means of a cam actuated lever |44 supported on a stationary pivot |46, and arranged' to impart a reciprocatory movement to the pawl lever |41 and pawl |48 cooperating with ratchet |50 secured to one end of the supporting drum |52 for the pattern chain |08. The timing of the racking movements-imparted to the. pattern chain |08 is suchas to cause the'button |42 to engage with and actuate the pattern lever |38 and intervening connections to shift the roller |00 before th'e draw arm 18 and latch 92 have been moved suillciently far to the left to enable the roller to move beneath the latch- Under these conditions, the roller will strike against the side of Upon the return stroke of the latch 92 to the right, the cam surface '98 will ride upon 4the roller 00 which is now in the path of travel of the latch 92 and therefore the latch' will be raised to disengage itself from the pin 68. Thus the driving connection between the draw arm 18 and the friction rod 44 is interrupted. Attention is called to the fact that the length of each chain button |42 is sufliciently long enpugh to hold the spring |26 under tension, thereby holding the roller in active position until such time as the latch 92 has made its stroke to the left and has made its stroke to the right. During the continued `operation of the machine, the

bump |42`-is\ moved from beneath the patternv lever |38 causing the pattern control connec-v tions above described to return to their normal inoperative position' under the influence of a compression spring |54 coiled about the connecting rod |32 between a collar |56 secured to the rod and a supporting bracket |58. The rearward movement of the roller |00 under the influence of the spring |54 operates to permit Inasmuch as the construction l the slot portion 84 lof the latch to drop into locking engagement with the cross pin 68 as the draw arm 18 and latch 92 are returned to set of knitting carriers is employed, so that no necessity for shifting carriers can arise before the start of a new operation on the machine, it will be understood that the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific machine disclosed, but is more generally applicable -to flat knitting Imachines of the general type having spring beard ,needles movable as a unit and independently movable sinker elements under any circumstances which may arise in which it is desirable to disconnect the yarn carrier assembly from continued operation with the machine. 1` The nature and objects of the invention having been indicated, and a machine embodying the several features of the invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. In a ilat knitting machine having spring beard needles movable as a unit with relation to a press edge, and independently movable yarn measuring sinkers, the combination of a yarn feeding assembly including a yarn carrier and a Asinker slur-.cock cam, a main cam shaft for the machineaa Coulier motion comprising a cam driven from the camshaft, a draw arm, .a con# nection fromthe draw armv for actuating the yarn feeding Vassembly,.arid pattern controlled means for disconnecting said yarn feeding assembly from the draw arm at the limit of its stroke in one direction to prevent movement of said yarn feeding assembly while the draw arm proceeds to the limit of its stroke in the opposite direction.

2. In a fiat knitting machine havingspring beard needles movable as a unit with relation to a press edge, and independently movable yarn measuring si'nkers, the combination of a yarn feeding assembly including' a yarn carrier and al sinker slur-cock cam, a main cam shaft for the machine, a Coulierl motion comprising a cam driven from the cam shaft,.a draw arm, a connection including a latchvfor actuating the yarn feeding assembly from the draw arm, and a control member acting when rendered operative to disengage the latch @for a position of the draw arm at the limit of its stroke in one direction preventing movement of the yarn feeding assembly while the draw arm proceeds to the limit of its stroke in the otherl direction.

3. In aliiat knitting machine having spring beard needles movable as a unit with relation and to hold the latch in disengaged position for to a press edge, and independently movable yarn feeding assembly from the draw arm, and meansacting on the latch when rendered operative for disconnecting said yarn feeding assembly from the draw arm upon reaching its limit of movement in one direction whereby the draw arm cam shaftmto press` of thefabric held on the may move fto-lts limit of movement in the other direction without'lactuationof thefeeding; assembly, and means for automatically re-establishing said connection upon the return stroke-of the draw arm to its limit .of movement in the rst machine, a Coulier motion comprising a cam driven from-,the cam shaft, a draw arm, a con- 1 nection including a latch for driving the feeding assembly from the draw arm, a control element acting when rendered operative to disengage the latch from the draw arm upon reaching the end of its stroke in one direction for preventing movement of the yarn feeding assembly While the dra-warm proceeds to the end of its stroke in the other direction, a pattern chain for the rnachine, and connections therefrom for actuating said control member.

5. In a flat knitting machine having spring beard needles movable as a unit with relation to a press edge, and independently movable yarn measuring sinkers, the combination of a yarn feeding assembly including a yarn carrier and a sinker slur-cock cam, a main cam shaft for the machine, a Coulier motion comprising a cam driven from the cam shaft, a-draw arm, a connection from the draw arm for actuating the yarn feeding assembly, said connection including ,from movement with the draw arm.

'6. In a fiat knitting machine having spring beard needles movable as a unit with relation to a press edge, and independently movable yarn measuring sinkers, the' combination of a yarn feeding assembly including a yarn carrier and a sinker slur-cock cam, a main cam shaft for the machine, a Coulier motion comprising a cam driven from the cam shaft, a draw arm, a connection from the draw arm for actuating the yarn feeding assembly, said connection including a latch pivotally supported on the draw arm, means for disconnecting the latch to arrest the movement of said assembly at one end of'its stroke comprising a cam surface on said latch, a cam roll, and means for moving the roll into the path. of movement of said cammed portion of the latch to disconnect said assembly from movement with the draw arm, and means operative prior to the return stroke of the draw arm to withdraw the cam roll tol permit the re-engagement of the latch.

7. A fabric press-off mechanism for. a flat knitting machine having spring beard needles movable as a unit with relation to a press edge and independently movable yarn measuring sinkers, which comprises a yarn feeding assembly including a pair ofyarn carriers adapted to be simultaneously reciprocated in opposite directions, a main cam shaft for the machine, connections from the cam shaft for reciprocating said assembly, means acting when rendered operative to disconnect said assembly from said needles, and pattern controtmeanstherefor.

-8. In a flat knitting`macline having spring beard needles movable as a unit with Vrelation to a press edge and independently movable yarn measuring sinkers, the combination of a yarn feeding assembly, including a pair ofyarn carriers adapted to be simultaneously reciprocated in opposite directions, a main cam shaft, connections from the main cam shaft including a reciprocating latch for connecting the assembly to the main cam shaft for the driving of the assembly, and control means for actuating the latch to disengage the assembly' from said connections. i I

9. A fabric press oft' mechanism for vva flat knitting machine having `spring beard needles movable as a unit with relation to a press edge and independently movable yarn measuring sinkers, which comprises a yarn feeding assembly including a. pair of carriers operatively associated to move in opposite directions, a main cam shaft for driving said assembly, connections between the main cam shaft and said assembly for the operation thereof including a latch, a pattern mechanism, and a device controlled thereby for actuating the latch Ato disrupt the operationof said assembly by said connectionsv when said spring beard needles have completed a full cycle of knitting operations.

10. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, the combination of a pair of yarn carriers, mechanism for driving said yarn `'carriers in opposite directions including a friction rod, a main cam. shaft, power transmitting mechanism interposed Abetween the main cam shaft and said friction rod for the driving thereof including a latch having a mounted roller adapted to have a cam action with said latch, and means for giving periodic sliding movements/to said roller.

11. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, the combination of a pair of yarn carriers, mechanism for driving said yarn carriers in'opposite directions including a friction rod,'a main cam shaft, means interposed between the main cam shaft and said friction rod for the operating of said mechanism including a latch having a disengageable connection with the friction rod, and pattern control mechanism for disconnecting the latch from the friction rod when said carriers have completed their yarn laying activities, said pattern control mechanism including a movably mounted element adapted to have a cam action with said latch, link mechanism for giving periodic movements to said element, andan actuator having a yieldable connection with said link mechanism for the operation thereof.

12. In combination with the Coulier oscillating draw arm and reciprocable friction rod of a fullfashioned hosiery knitting machine, releasable means normally establishing' connection between said draw arm and friction rod for the reciprocating movements of the latter through the oscillating movements of the former, and a mechanism periodically operable to release said means for preventing reciprocating movements of the friction rod during the oscillating movements of the draw arm. Y

13. In combination with the pattern chain, the Coulier oscillating draw arm and reciprocable friction rod of a full-fashioned hosiery knitting aisaiav 5 machine, releasable means normally establishing connection between said draw arm and friction rod for the reciprocating movements of the latter through the oscillating movements of the 5 former, and a mechanism controlled by the pattern chain and periodically operated thereby to release said means for preventing reciprocating movements of the friction rod during the oscilf lating movements of the draw arm.

10 14. In a flat knitting machine, a Coulier os-v cillating draw arm, a reciprocable friction rod, a reciprocable slur cam bar, means interconnecting the friction rod and slur cam bar for simultaneous reciprocation, releasable means normally estab- 15 lishing connection between said draw arm and interconnected friction rod and slur cam bar for the reciprocating movements of said interconnected friction rod and slurcam bar through the oscillating movements of the draw arm, and a m mechanism periodically operable to release said means for preventing reciprocating movements of the interconnected friction rod and slur cam bar during the oscillating movements of the `draw arm.

g5 15. 1n a flat knitting machine, a Coulier oscillating draw arm; a yarn feeding assembly comprising a lpair of reciprocable friction rods;

means between said friction rodsv for simultaneous reciprocation thereof in opposite directions; a pair of slur cam bars; means interconyarn feeding assembly from the cam shaft, said necting one slur cam bar to one friction rod for unison reciprocation therewithyand means interconnecting the other slur .'cam bar to the other friction rod for unison reciprocation therewith; releasable means normally establishing connection between said draw arm and yarn feeding 'assembly for reciprocating movements thereof through the oscillating movements of the draw arm; and a mechanism periodically operable to release said means for preventingreciprocating 1 movements of the yarn feeding assembly during the oscillating movements of the draw arm.v

control means having means for re-engaging the latch to drive the yarn feeding. assembly upon the return movement of the latch.

HonPPNEn. 

